Houston, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - Marc Krauss' RBI groundout capped a four-run
eighth inning and the Houston Astros held off the Oakland Athletics, 7-6, to
win for just the third time in the last 13 games.

Brandon Moss belted a three-run homer in the ninth, but Raul Valdes struck out
John Jaso and Jed Lowrie to earn his second career save and first since 2010.

Chris Carter hit a two-run homer and Dexter Fowler added a solo shot and drove
in two for the Astros, who broke a three-game skid.

Jerome Williams (1-1), in relief of Dallas Keuchel, was charged with five hits
and three runs over two innings, but picked up the victory.

Sean Doolittle (0-2) failed to record an out in the eighth and yielded four
hits and as many runs.

"Sometimes you don't have your best stuff," Doolittle admitted. "You want to
be a guy that's counted on repeatedly in those situations. You have to figure
out a way to get it done."

The Athletics, who also got an RBI from Coco Crisp and Lowrie, lost for the
fourth time in six tries.

"I felt sluggish out of the gate," Keuchel said. "That's not really like me,
but you're not going to feel your best every time out."

Doolittle surrendered four consecutive singles. Fowler had the third one in
the sequence, a grounder past shortstop Lowrie that scored Marwin Gonzalez.
Jason Castro then singled to right field for a 5-3 lead.

Luke Gregerson entered from the bullpen and retired George Springer on a
grounder, which scored Fowler. Castro went to third on a wild pitch and scored
on Krauss' grounder to third.

Moss homered to right off Williams with Josh Reddick and Craig Gentry aboard.
Nick Punto then singled. After Crisp grounded into a fielder's choice, Valdes
was summoned from the bullpen and finished the game.

Lowrie singled in Crisp during a two-run top of the first, but Fowler homered
to right in the bottom portion.

Carter's blast to left-center made it 3-2 Houston in the second, but Gentry
scored on Crisp's sacrifice fly in the seventh to tie the game.

Game Notes

Straily has allowed at least one home run in each of his first five starts ...
The Astros broke an eight-game skid against the A's, but are 6-25 all-time
against Oakland ... A's third baseman Josh Donaldson singled in the eighth to
extend his hitting streak to eight games. He's hit safely in 18 of his last 19
contests.